PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Thousands of people lined South Broad Street on Monday to celebrate the start of 2024, Philadelphia style.
The 124th Mummers Parade, the nation's oldest continuously operating folk parade, is about a mile and a half — but it takes about eight hours to get 10,000 costumed performers through the route. It had a slow start at 9 a.m. with a 45-minute delay early on, but the pace picked back up. Mummers tossed Mardi Gras beads to the crowd, waving and calling out "Happy new year!"
A Barbie-themed performance was popular with the little girls in the crowd.
Evelyn from Philly was among the spectators really feeling the spirit of the day, sporting her New Year's Day best.
"It's my New Year's outfit. I have my New Year's shirt and my New Year's crown."
Evelyn says the crown is essential.
"I mean, it's New Year's — get real."
She said she loves New Year's Day because she always likes the start of something new, but she was at the parade for the string bands.
Sam Regalbuto, String Band Association president and vice president of the Quaker City String Band, says the Mummers Parade is a tradition for many.
"I know generations, from great-grandfather to the fourth or the fifth," he said. "We have one in my organization, ... he's growing up now and he's learning an instrument. He's going to be in a costume in a couple of years. And it's amazing, just the generations that have stuck with this."
People came from all over to witness this Philly tradition.
Mary Lange came up from Maryland and made the trip specifically for the parade and Fancy Brigade competition.
"When I was young, very, very young, my grandmother brought me to see the show on a bus trip," she said. "And I've been wanting to come back ever since then."
The memories stuck with her, and now all these years later she brought her daughter to experience it for the first time.
Chad came all the way from Western Canada for the signature Philly experience. He said he has been to the Mummers Parade before and couldn't wait to come back.
"It takes a little bit of explaining" to the neighbors back home, he said. "It's a lot of fun. It's like a British pantomime gone wild."
The Mummers are organized in five divisions, the Comics, the Wenches, the Fancies, the Fancy Brigades, and the String Bands. The Fancy Brigades also do two indoor shows at 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the Pennsylvania Convention Center and perform with the other Mummers on Broad Street between shows.
Nigel Thompson/KYW Newsradio
If you plan to drive into or around the city on Monday, officials warn of road closures and parking restrictions.
Starting at 7 a.m., Broad Street is closed to traffic from, South Penn Square to Washington Avenue.
And since 3 a.m., the following streets have been closed:
- 15th Street from Arch Street to Chestnut Street
- Market Street from 15th Street to 21st Street
- Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 16th Street to 20th Street
- North Broad Street from Cherry Street to John F. Kennedy Boulevard
- 16th Street from Chestnut Street to Race Street
- 17th Street from Ben Franklin Parkway to Ludlow Street
- 18th Street from Ludlow Street to Race Street
- 19th Street from Ben Franklin Parkway to Chestnut Street
- 1500 block of Ranstead Street
- 1300 block of Carpenter Street
- 1000 block of South 13th Street
- Chestnut Street from 15th Street to 18th Street (north side)
- Cherry Street from 15th Street to 17th Street
- Arch Street from 15th Street to 17th Street
- Washington Avenue from 12th Street to 18th Street
Nigel Thompson/KYW Newsradio
Temporary "No Parking" zones will be in effect from 2 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both sides of the streets. Here is a list of those restricted areas:
- Broad Street from Arch Street to Ellsworth Street
- Juniper Street from John F. Kennedy Boulevard to East Penn Square
- South/East Penn Square from 15th Street to Juniper Street
- Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 16th Street to 20th Street
- Logan Circle (north side)
- North Broad Street from Cherry Street to John F. Kennedy Boulevard
- 16th Street from Chestnut Street to Race Street
- 17th Street from Ben Franklin Parkway to Ludlow Street
- 18th Street from Ludlow Street to Race Street
- 19th Street from Ben Franklin Parkway to Chestnut Street
- 19th Street from John F. Kennedy Boulevard to Market Street
- 1500 block of Ranstead Street
- 1300 block of Carpenter Street
- 1000 block of South 13th Street
- Chestnut Street from 15th Street to 18th Street (north side)
- Cherry Street from 15th Street to 17th Street
- Arch Street from 15th Street to 17th Street
- Washington Avenue from 12th Street to 18th Street
The city encourages people to use SEPTA throughout the day. For a list of bus detours and other transit updates, click here.
